Bramblepoint Sweet child o' mine

As he moved forward once more with a deeply furrowed brow, Elwood was approached by another wolf. He turned sharply to see Shrike and felt some measure of relief. A friendly face was welcome, and his search party would increase by one. They would surely have more success as a pair than he would have alone.

Shrike uttered a single syllable, but the question begged a longer answer. "It's Lucy," Elwood replied, looking away from his packmate as he continued through the trees and underbrush. "She was kidnapped -- some lone wolf crossed the borders and took her. Lagan saw him -- he said it was a black wolf with red eyes." His voice was strained and his own yellow eyes never ceased their roving, hoping for any sign of Lucy.

Although he anticipated the response to be yes, he asked anyway: "Can you help?" He tried and failed to keep the desperation out of his tone. Shrike was, perhaps, the best wolf for the job -- he had tracked down Peter's assailant, and while that thought caused Elwood's stomach to turn, he knew he needed assistance.